Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-19
VARIOUS FAMILIAR "AMeRIcANisMs.n >


An English Observer Points Out Differ
ences in the Common Language.
Probably the most frequent question which
is put TO an Englishman visiting these shores
for the first time, after having grappled with
the poser, What do yor think of Americas
is, Do you find much difference in the
dialects of the two countriesG That
there is a difference nobody will deny; but
among the refined classes in New York, apart
from certain local expressions, it is far less
noticeable than would have been expected.
The first thing that would strike
Londoner is probably the lazy, familiar
yeah" by which you are answered
on all sides by persons from whom, in
England, you would expect eyes, SIR while
''See here" is also peculiarly American. II
the person you are addressing does not catch
your remark, he will startle you with
Whats thatF "What is it2" or "HowT
when in England he is accustomed to
"Whaty" "EhP or "Beg pardon?" under sim
liar circumstances.
There is no exact corresponding expression
in England ''to get left and ito get there
the nearest approach being ''to be in the
cart and ''to pull through
The English never use the words previous
or fresh" Gmpudent, 'rare meat" under
done), ''feshy" STOUT, dispatch" (telegram),
full ttipsyl, "homelyn plain, addressed to
persons, An American child will call her
parents mamma and papa, and will cause a
shout of laughter or shocked look when she
speaks of bugs for ordinary insects, this
term being exclusively reserved in England
for the bed" species. 1t is hardly necessary
to allude to the use Of the word guess"
tAnglce, 81 fancy or Il think'D, as from
time immemorial an Englishman thinks he
has only got to say 81 guess and talk through
his nose to imagine be is talking real good
Yankee" ''Dude" is unknown in England
and no one there would know what was mean
by ''dry goods store (inen draper's).
Londoners have nothing grander than
house porter" to correspond to ''janiIor,n
and would possibly be puzzled to know what
was meant by "a high stoop house, or an
English basement house" They would also
ask for the "lift' i'll place of the elevator"
and would think it strange not to have to 60
up one flight to the first" floor, as in England
they are accustomed to call this latter the
"ground floor Such siangy expressions as
Iou make Inc tired, "ro blow you off" Il
hNNA " S''br nave hdti u real ple-
giant time are enthusiastically American.
If you ask an American to take a drink. he
VIII reply, Il should smile" the meaning IF
which is obvious, and he may possibly offer
to give you points tips on some coming
race. The word boss takes the place of our
governor" except when London street
Arab means to be particularly polite and to
gain your custom for a box of lights. etc,
when nothing under a "capt'nn or any lord"
is good enough. The word candy" in Amer
lea seems to cover all kinds of sweetmeats
which are generally called Sweets by the
crowd and sugar plums" by the select in
England There is also corruption of the
good old Scotch word "toffee, used generally
here, viz, 'taffee," and it sounds comical to
English ears to ask for piece of apple pie in
place of tart, pie being only used when speak
ing of meat-New York World.